1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bullet loader and, more particularly, to a device for reloading bullets into the magazine or clip of a firearm.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Most semi-automatic and automatic weapons are provided with a removable magazine for holding a large number of bullets or rounds of ammunition. Additionally, some handguns, such as 9 mm pistols, are structured to receive a bullet-holding magazine, often referred to as a xe2x80x9cclip.xe2x80x9d Regardless of the particular type, make or model of the weapon, virtually all magazines are structured to function according to the same general principal of operation. Specifically, the magazine includes a generally elongate, vertical chamber with partially open ejection end at the top. Bullets are loaded, in sequence, into the magazine and against the compression force exerted by a compression spring, so that a stacked arrangement of bullets within the magazine is urged upwardly towards the top ejection end. When the loaded magazine is inserted into the firearm, the force of the compression spring causes the bullets to be individually fed, one at a time in succession, into the gun""s firing chamber.
The use of a magazine in a firearm provides the convenience of holding a large number of bullets in position for loading in successive order into the firing chamber, thereby allowing for rapid fire of some or all of the loaded bullets. Once the bullets are expended, the empty magazine can be quickly removed and a new fully loaded magazine can be quickly inserted into the firearm to resume firing.
The use of magazines is a convenient and effective method of feeding bullets, in rapid succession, into a weapon""s firing chamber. However, reloading bullets into the spent magazines is known to be problematic. Specifically, the structural design of the magazine requires each bullet to be individually loaded through the top ejection end and downwardly against the force of the compression spring in order to captivate the bullet within the magazine. As each bullet is loaded, in sequence, the compression spring becomes progressively compressed until the magazine is fully loaded with bullets Naturally, the resistance of the compression spring against the downward force of loading the bullets into the magazine becomes greater with each successive bullet loaded into the magazine.
For many years, bullets have been loaded into the magazines of firearms by hand, using the fingers to force each bullet downwardly against the force of the compression spring and into captured arrangement within the magazine. This process is time consuming, awkward, and often frustrating, particularly when the resistance of the compression spring begins to increase. And, in view of the fact that the entire load of bullets in the magazine can be expended in a matter of seconds, particularly in an automatic weapon, the task of reloading several empty magazines can be daunting.
In the past, others have proposed various devices for reloading bullets or xe2x80x9ccartridgesxe2x80x9d into the clip of a handgun. And, while some of these devices have provided some improvement to the traditional reloading method of using ones fingers to force the bullets into the clip, they provide minimal mechanical advantage over the compressive force exerted by the spring in the clip. Moreover, the reloading devices known in the prior art require use of the thumb for operation. It has been found that successive operation of these devices, particularly when loading several clips, results in fatigue and possible strain or injury to the thumb and hand muscles. An example of a clip reloading device in the prior art which uses a thumb lever is shown in the U.S. patents to Switzer, Nos. 5,377,436 and 5,249,386. Additional examples of reloading devices for handgun clips are shown in the U.S. patents to Holmes, No. 4,829,693; Upchurch, No. 4,993,180; and Origoni, No. 5,355,606. All of these devices are limited to use with handgun clips.
In view of the numerous problems associated with loading bullets into the magazines of automatic and semi-automatic weapons, as well as handguns, and the limitations of the loading devices in the present state of the art, there remains an urgent need for a rapid action bullet reloading device for use in conjunction with any magazine style of all types of firearms and which is operable by either hand of the user with minimal effort. Moreover, there remains a need for a bullet loading device which provides a sufficient mechanical advantage to overcome the counter-acting force of the compression spring within a magazine so that each bullet, from the first to the last, can be loaded into the magazine with the same minimal effort. Additionally, there remains a need for a bullet reloading device which is structured to properly position each bullet into registered alignment with the top of the magazine and a cam depression finger of the device, thereby allowing the user to easily operate the device with either hand, while allowing the user to place bullets into the device for loading into the magazine using the other hand.
The present invention is directed to a rapid action bullet reloading device for use in conjunction with any firearm utilizing a removable magazine is operable by either hand of the user with minimal effort. The device includes a sleeve, defining a main body, a lever hinged to the sleeve and a cam member operatively engaged with the lever. The sleeve is structured and disposed to receive the magazine in a releasably locked and registered position for the bullet reloading operation. The device is operated by squeezing the lever towards the sleeve body with one hand which rotates the cam member about a cam axis in a highly leveraged action. Rotation of the cam causes an integral finger extending from the cam member to engage and depress a properly positioned bullet into the magazine. A spring urges the cam member back to the relaxed position upon each release of the lever, whereupon a next successive bullet can be placed in registered position for loading. In a preferred embodiment, the top end of the lever and cam member are each provided with intermeshing teeth to provide positive traction with minimal friction, thereby reducing wear and slippage between the lever and cam. In several embodiments, a hood is hingedly fitted to the top end of the sleeve body and includes an axial bore, defining a loading chamber through which the bullets are inserted, using the other hand, for individual positioning in registered alignment for loading into the magazine.
Considering the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a rapid action bullet loading device for use in conjunction with any firearm utilizing a removably magazine, and wherein the device is easily operable by a single hand of the user, either the left hand or the right hand, with minimal effort to effectively load bullets into the magazine.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a bullet loading device which provides a highly leveraged action to depress each bullet into the magazine, with minimal effort and using only one hand.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a bullet loading device which provides for a highly leveraged action to depress bullets into a magazine, and wherein the leveraged loading mechanism provides sufficient mechanical advantage to overcome the counteracting force of the compression spring within the magazine so that each bullet, from the first loaded bullet to the last loaded bullet, can be loaded into the magazine with the same minimal effort.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a bullet loading device which employs a cam action to provide substantial mechanical advantage when loading bullets into a magazine, thereby allowing for ease of operation, with a single hand, while preventing fatigue during extended loading operations.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a bullet loading device which provides a loading chamber for guiding each bullet into registered loading position, thereby allowing bullets to be loaded even in dark conditions.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a bullet loading device which allows for operation with a single hand while allowing the other hand to feed bullets into a registered loading position with each operation of the device.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a bullet loading device which is adapted for use with any and all makes, models and types of handgun magazines.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a bullet loading device which can be manufactured in various models to accommodate all types of firearm magazines, including magazines for automatic weapons, semi-automatic weapons and handguns.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a rapid action bullet loading device, as set forth above, and wherein the leveraged cam action is adjustable to accommodate for different types and models of firearm magazines having varying compression spring tensions.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a rapid action bullet loading device wherein the mechanical leverage for depressing bullets into the magazine, against the compression spring, can be adjustably varied by changing the configuration of the cam and the throw of the cam finger.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a rapid action bullet loading device which employs a cam action to provide substantial mechanical advantage when loading bullets into a magazine, and wherein a pivoting lever and cam member are each provided with intermeshing gripping teeth, thereby providing a positive traction driving movement of the cam member upon squeezing the lever with minimal friction.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a rapid action bullet loading device, as set forth above, wherein the intermeshing gripping teeth on the lever and cam are structured to provide a positive drive between the lever and cam with minimal friction, thereby eliminating wear and increasing longevity of the device.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a device for loading bullets into a handgun which provides all of the objects and advantages set forth above, and which can be manufactured of a variety of materials, including ferrous, non-ferrous and/or plastic compositions.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more readily apparent with reference to the detailed description and the accompanying drawings.